University of Virginia Health System

 Study Finds "Supersized" Meals Add Unneeded Calories

< April 16, 2003 >"Supersized" meals are not a deal when it comes to your health, according to two new studies on meal size and food consumption.

The first study found bigger restaurant portions result in people consuming more calories.

Another study found that when portion sizes of all foods served over a two-day period were increased, people kept eating more at each main meal. That means they did not compensate for overeating the first day by reducing the amount they ate the second day.

Expert sees "supersized" translate to extra calories

"The bigger portions that restaurants are providing make consumers vulnerable to overeating, since most individuals eat all or most of what is served," says Dr. Barbara Rolls, an expert at Penn State University and lead author of both studies.

"The excess food in megaportions is not going home in doggie bags," she says. "It is, instead, fueling the obesity epidemic."

Both studies were presented at the Experimental Biology 2003 conference in San Diego.

In the first study, the size of the baked ziti meal served at a cafeteria-style restaurant was varied between a standard portion and a larger serving, with 50 percent more food. The price for both meals was the same.

Customers were asked to rate their satisfaction and the appropriateness of the portion size. The customers' food intake was gauged by weighing each meal in the kitchen before and after the meal.

The study found that when people were served 50 percent more food, they ate nearly all of it - an average of 172 more calories. People rated both the normal and larger potion sizes as equally appropriate.

Study participants ate larger portions regularly

In the second study, 32 men and women ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They were given take-out snacks and water for between meals. This was done for two consecutive days a week for three weeks.

Each week, the same daily menus were served but the portion sizes varied. When portion sizes were larger, women ate 335 more calories per day and men ate 513 more calories per day. When the portion sizes were doubled, women ate 530 more calories per day and men ate 803 more calories per day.

The study found it did not matter how much the men and women ate the previous day. If they were given larger portions, they ate more food. They did not eat less on the second day to compensate for overeating the previous day.

Always consult your physician for more information.

Calcium Helps Girls Keep Healthy Weight  

Whether calcium comes from dairy products or supplements, girls who consume the highest levels weigh less than girls who consume lower levels, a new study says.

"Dairy and calcium intake is associated with the level of fat and weight among adolescent girls," says lead author Rachel Novotny, a nutritionist at the University of Hawaii.

Current study supports previous calcium findings

Similar findings have been found in adults and in very young children, but this is the first time it has been found in young girls, she adds. These findings support the idea that calcium, especially from dairy products, helps control weight and fat.

Novotny and her colleagues from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu studied 323 girls, aged 9 to 14 years old. The researchers collected data on what the girls ate and their amount of physical exercise.

They also measured the girls' weight and the amount of fat just above the hipbone near the bellybutton. This so-called "skin fold thickness" measures abdominal fat.

The girls who consumed the most calories and did the least physical exercise weighed more and had more body fat. However, after Novotny's team looked at calcium intake, they found that despite differences in calorie intake and amount of exercise, girls who consumed more calcium weighed less than girls who consumed less calcium.

A glass of milk a day keeps a pound away

In fact, the investigators found that as little as a daily increase of one cup of milk or a small piece of cheese, about 300 milligrams of calcium, resulted in one-half inch less of abdominal fat and as much as two pounds less of body weight.

"I have reason to believe that the same effect occurs in boys," Novotny says.

Novotny presented her findings at the Experimental Biology 2003 meeting in San Diego.

Over the past several decades, the consumption of dairy foods in the US has decreased, Novotny says.

"This may be contributing to our high levels of obesity," she adds. "These findings could have a measurable impact on levels of weight."

People should be encouraged to add more dairy to their diet, which will help them control weight throughout their lives, Novotny says.

Dorothy Teegarden, a professor of nutrition at Purdue University says, "This study presents exciting results that adds to the previously published literature on the effects of higher calcium or dairy intake on body composition, particularly fat mass."

She adds the result of this study provides further evidence that higher calcium intake may play an important role in reducing the growing problem of obesity in the US, particularly in children.

However, Dr. Robert P. Heaney, a professor of medicine and bone expert from Creighton University, cautions that while high calcium intake can help, "nothing will help you if you eat too much."

Always consult your physician for more information.

Online Resources

(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.)

American Dietetic Association (ADA)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

National Cancer Institute (NCI) 5 A Day For Better Health

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

National Women's Health Information Center

For more information on nutrition and exercise, please visit health information modules on this Web site.

Healthy Eating and Exercise Bring Benefits

Follow these nutrition tips for maintaining a healthy weight:

Remember - a calorie is a calorie.

High-fat foods generally have more calories than foods that are high in carbohydrates or protein, but the truth is, the best way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories than you burn each day.

While it is possible to eat a larger quantity of foods that are low in fat as long as they are also low in calories, be sure to check labels or read educational materials to make sure.

Fruits, vegetables, and other foods that are low in fat and calories can also help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

Start your day off right by eating breakfast. Drink 100 percent fruit juice (canned, from a carton, or freshly squeezed) with breakfast, or take a can to drink at work. Spruce up your breakfast - a banana or handful of berries will liven up your cereal, yogurt, waffles, or pancakes. Take a piece of fruit to munch on during your commute.

Use butter and margarine sparingly. Even better, switch to reduced-fat margarine or try jelly on your bread, bagels, and other baked goods.

Use "lite" or low-fat dairy products (i.e., milk, cheese, yogurt, or sour cream). Use in recipes and/or drink 1% or skim milk. You will still get the nutrients and taste but not the fat.

When you make or buy a salad, a little bit of salad dressing, about 1 tablespoon, goes a long way. Even better, use "lite" or fat-free salad dressing. The same principle applies when using condiments, a little mayonnaise is all you need. Or use the "lite" or fat-free kind.

Choose the leanest cuts such as beef round, loin, sirloin, pork loin chops, turkey, chicken, and roasts. All cuts with the name "loin" or "round" are lean. And if you cook it yourself, trim all visible fat and drain the grease.

Use oils sparingly (try olive and canola oils). Bake chicken without the skin. Substitute a potato for french fries.

Choose healthy, quick, and easy-to-grab foods such as little bags or containers of ready-to-eat vegetables (i.e., celery sticks, cucumber wedges, and cherry tomatoes). Or, make healthier choices for snacks that are store-bought, such as pretzels. Keep them with you in your briefcase, office, car, and home.

Substitute low-fat or fat-free baked goods, cookies, and ice cream. They still taste great. Cut down on the portion size and how often you eat these items. Or, choose fruit. It tastes great, is filling, and provides energy.

Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. Take smaller portions. Never go back for seconds.

Typical restaurant servings are often twice the size of a single serving. When dining out or ordering in, ask for half of a serving or a "doggy bag." That way you will not be as full, and you can have some tomorrow.

Fast food does not have to be high in fat and calories if you are careful. Try ordering a lean roast beef or grilled chicken sandwich. Keep the portions to regular and small. No "double" anything or "going large." Order items without the cheese.

Getting your daily exercise:

Exercise is an important way to manage your weight. Aerobic exercises and strengthening exercises burn calories by increasing heart rate.

Physical activity need not be strenuous to achieve health benefits. People of all ages benefit from a moderate amount of physical activity, preferably daily.

The same moderate amount of activity can be obtained in longer sessions of moderately intense activities (such as 30 minutes of brisk walking) as in shorter sessions of more strenuous activities (such as 15 to 20 minutes of jogging).

Previously sedentary individuals who begin physical activity programs should start with short intervals (5 to 10 minutes) of physical activity and gradually build up to the desired level of activity.

People with chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, or obesity, or those who are at high risk for these conditions should first consult their physician before beginning a new program of physical activity.

Always consult your physician for more information.